Missoula Police Face Two Felony Partner Assault Cases on Same Day

Rarely a week in Missoula goes by without a number of felony Partner or Family Member Assault Cases, but on Wednesday police dealt with two.

"Patrick Wanner (37) was arrested for a third offense partner or family member assault after his girlfriend reported that they had had an argument inside a vehicle that had escalated into a physical altercation," said Missoula Police Public Information Officer Travis Welsh. "At one point he pushed the female over to the passenger side of the vehicle and forced her face down into the seat. He pinned her face to the seat until she began yelling for help."

Wanner’s case is a felony because it his third time in court for a similar charge, but the next case police dealt with became a felony because of the severity of the attack reported up on 55th street.

"Officers responded to that location and made contact with a female who reported that her boyfriend had become angry at one point over a phone call that she had received on her birthday from an ex-boyfriend," Welsh said. "It escalated to an actual physical altercation where the suspect in this case, Marcus Eyer age 25 actually grabbed the victim around the throat, pulled her to the floor, and actually put pressure on her throat. The victim said it was his attempt to strangle her."

According to Welsh, the victim was inspected by first responders, and transported herself to the hospital for her injuries.